Heddle bar locking device



Oct. 31, 1967 R. M. GOODMAN, JR 3,349,810

HEDDLE BAR LOCKING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 2, 1964 5 SheetsSheet 1 V A 10 11 gg 1L 1 12 n? I 12 E WL ii m 7L IL j WWIHHM 97 WW 26 f 16 26 A; Z2

' I T 1% r WITH T INN W 1 15 FIGZ INVENTOR. I ROBERT M. GQODMIAN JR,

ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1967 GOODMAN, JR 3,349,810

' HEDDLE BAR LOCKING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 2, 1964 5 Sheets-$heet 2 WW WNW INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS ROBERT M. GOODMAN JR,

Oct. 31, 1967 R. M. GOODMAN, JR 3,349,810

HEDDLE BAR LOCKING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 2, 1964 a Sheets-Sheet 5 I 1 I r I Q ll I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,349,810 HEDDLE BAR LOCKING DEVICE Robert M. Goodman, Jr., Marietta, Ga., assignor to Pioneer Heddle and Reed Company, Inc, Atlanta, Ga,

a corporation of Georgia Continuation of application Ser. No. 393,934, Sept. 2, 1964. This application June 20, 1966, Ser. No. 559,004 11 Claims. (Cl. 13992) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A heddle bar support and lock comprising a body and a support bolt slidably carried within a bore in the body. The body includes a second bore within which is received securing means for limiting the relative longitudinal movement of the bolt with respect to the body. The bolt includes means for engaging at least one heddle bar placed between the bolt and the body.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 393,934, filed Sept. 2, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to loom harness and is particularly concerned with heddle frames and the intermediate support and lock for the heddle bars.

The heddle frames of conventional loom harness includes upper and lower parallel wooden heddle rails joined at their ends by metallic side strips to which the upper and lower pairs of heddle bars are secured by spring clips to extend inwardly of and in spaced parallel relation to the upper and lower rails. An intermediate support usually extends from the center of the rail to engage the central portion of the heddle bars. Such supports usually include a bolt secured to the rail with its shank extending between the heddle bars together with a lock for releasably engaging the heddle bars to rigidly-secure the heddle bars to the rails. However, it is desirable that the lock be readily releasable so that the heddles, extending between the bars, may conveniently be applied or removed.

Heretofore, the locks on the shank of the heddle bar support bolt have been formed of metal stampings urged outwardly upon the shank toward the bolt head to interengage the heddle bars between the lock and bolt head. Such stampings are frequently distorted and bent as a result of continuous subjection to the rapid vibration of the loom harness. Further, the metallic material is of course subject to deterioration by rust and corrosion. It is also to be noted that since the locks are urged'toward the heddle bars by a compression spring, heavy loads and intense vibration tend to resist the tension of the spring permitting undesirable vibration of the heddle bars. Since the tension applied by the spring is at its minimum when the spring is in full expansion, as when the lock is securing the heddle bars against the head of the heddle bar support bolt, the maximum strength of the spring is not used, however, the maximum strength of the spring does oppose the sliding movement of the lock away from the heddle bars when they are to be released.

The present invention provides an improved lock for heddle bar supporting bolts preferably formed of nylon which is both highly wear resistant and free from danger of deterioration by the elements as well as being of light weight and inexpensive in manufacture. Such plastic material, though rigid, is of such yieldability as to be substantially silent in operation, materially reducing the noise of vibration in the operation of the loom. A further important feature of the invention is the provision of means for either positively locking the heddle bars or providing a yieldable maximum force on the lock while in heddle bar securing position thus, enhancing the securement of the 3,349,810 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 heddle bars while facilitating release by slidable movement of the lock.

Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved heddle bar lock for the intermediate supporting bolts of heddle frames.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock formed of non-metallic material to enhance the wearing characteristics thereof and preclude the danger of deterioration by rust and corrosion.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved means for retaining a heddle bar lock in engaged position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a yieldable means of retaining a heddle bar lock against the heddle bars in such manner as to apply a maximum force against the bars when the lock is in engaging position.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a heddle frame with the lock of the present invention in position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the intermediate heddle bar support lock of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the lock shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken in lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of another form of the lock of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a transverse section, taken at right angles of the sections of FIGS. 4 and 5, of a modified form of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, partly broken away of another modified form of the invention.

The complete heddle frame as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings includes the heddle rails it), joined at their end by the side strips 11. The ends 12 of the opposed pairs of heddle bars 14 are secured to the side strips 11 by the conventional spring clips 15. The central intermediate portion of each pair of heddle bars is supported by a heddle bar support bolt 16 secured to the rail 10 to extend inwardly therefrom between the bars 14. The supporting bolt 16 of the present invention is generally rectangular in cross section with beveled corners and formed with a transverse head 17. The inner face of the head 17 is grooved at 18 to receive and secure the inner edges 19 of the heddle bars 14 as more clearly shown in FIG. 3. Slidably mounted on the shank 20 of the heddle bar support bolt 16 is the heddle bar lock of the present invention normally urged outwardly by the coil spring 21 which encircles the shank 2th of the bolt hearing against a transverse bolt pin 9 adjacent the heddle rail 10 at one end and at the other end against the inner face of the slidable heddle bar lock.

In that form of the invention illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 the lock, preferably formed of nylon or like non-metallic plastic material, is of general T- shape construction. The body 22 of the lock defines a central longitudinal bore 23 conforming with the angular cross-section of the shank 20 of bolt 16 upon which the lock is slidably mounted, thus precluding relative angular movement of the lock with respect to the shank. The face of the outer end of the body 22 of the lock is recessed as at 24 to engage the outer edges 25 of the heddle bars 14 whereby the heddle bars are locked between the head 17 of the bolt and the outer end of the body of the lock. The cross member 26 of the lock of the present invention provides convenient fingergrip extensions by which the lock may be retracted from its engagement with the bars 14 against the tension of the spring 21 to release the bars from their locked engagement with the bolt 16. It

will be observed that, since the spring 21 is in its fully extended position when the rails are locked, the tension applied increases as the lock is moved toward the rails to disengage the heddle bars. Therefore, in conventional arrangements of this general type the maximum effect of the spring is not utilized in locking the heddle bars.

In that form of the invention presented in detail in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, there is provided in addition to the spring 21 a coil spring 28 located within a transverse bore 29 of the cross member 26 of the lock together with a ball detent 30 normally urged into a restricted transverse passage 31 of the bolt 16. The transverse passage 31 of the bolt is located at a point generally conforming with the location of the spring urged ball detent 30 when the lock is in heddle bar securing position. Thus, it will be seen that to release the heddle bars by movement of the lock against the tension of the spring 21 the tension of the spring 28 must first be overcome in order to cause the ball detent to be pushed from the passage 31 of the bolt and into the bore 29 of the cross member of the T-shaped lock. However, it is to be noted that, while the transverse dimension of the bolt passage 31 is, of course, less than the diameter of the ball detent 30, the passage 31 is elongate in the direction of the axis of the bolt. In this manner a limited axial movement of the lock in the bolt shank is permitted while the ball detent is in engagement to compensate for slight variations in heddle bar width as in the event of wear.

Therefore, it will be seen that the maximum tension on the lock for securing the heddle bars, is applied when the lock is in full heddle bar engaging position. It will, of course, be seen that the spring 21 while tending to move the lock towards heddle bar engaging position need not be of sufficient strength to maintain the lock against the inner face of the heddle bars since the spring 28, when the lock is in locking position urges the ball into the recess of the bolt for maximum security of the heddle bars. Thus, a lighter spring than formerly used may be permitted for movement of the lock on the bolt towards the bars. Hence release of the heddle bars will be facilitated after the initial movement releasing the ball from its engagement with the passage of the bolt shank. While the spring and ball detent are confined within one end of the bore 29 of the cross member 26 by engagement of the ball with passage it will be noted that the opposite end of the cross member is drilled as a manufacturing expedient in order to facilitate the assembly.

In that form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the lock is provided with positive means for securing it in heddle bar engaging position by a slidable pin 40 mounted in a bore 41 of the cross piece 26 of the T-shaped lock. In heddle bar engaging position the pin is moved inwardly to the position shown, to extend through a transverse bore 43 in the shank of the bolt 16. For precluding accidental displacement of the pin from the bore 43 of the bolt a spring urged ball detent 44 is biased toward the pin 40 by its spring 45 to be received within a recess 46, at the outer end of the pin toward the head 47 thereof. When the pin is in non-locking position the ball detent is received within an inner inward companion recess 48 to preclude accidental displacement of the pin.

In that form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6 a pin 50, recessed as at 52, is rotatably mounted in the T- shaped lock at one side of the bore 51 which receives the shank 20 of the bolt 16. Together with this pin the shank 20 is recessed as at 53 in such manner as to provide registration of the recesses when the lock is to be released. The turning of the bolt by its extended exterior angled end 55 moves the unrecessed body of the pin into the recess 53 to secure the lock in heddle bar engaging position.

In that form of the invention shown in FIG. 7 the shank 20 of the heddle support bolt is formed with a side recess 66 in which the sound body portion 61 of an axially slidable securing pin 62 may be received to secure the lock body 22 in heddle bar engaging position. A spring 63 in the body urges a ball detent 64 into a retaining recess 66 of the pin 62 to releasably maintain the pin in bolt engaging position as illustrated. When the bars are to be released by sliding movement of the body 22 on the bolt shank 20 against the tension of spring 21, the pin 62 is moved axially whereby its releasing recess 65 registers with the bolt recess 60 to free the lock. Such movement is of course releasably resisted by the ball detent 64 which however is forced back against the tension of its spring 63. In released position the detent is received within the second retaining recess 67 to preclude accidental movement of the pin from the releasing position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides novel simple and eflicient means for locking the heddle bars of a loom heddle frame. The lock of the present invention exerts its full force while in locked position in that form of the invention shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 while a positive locked position is provided by that form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustrating the present invention without departure from scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heddle bar support and lock including a heddle bar support bolt and a body, said body defining a bore for slidably mounting said body on said bolt and having means to engage at least one heddle bar, and securing means for limiting the relative longitudinal movement of said body with respect to said bolt, said securing means being carried in a bore within said body and being independently movable with respect to said body.

2. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 1 wherein said securing means is slidable within said bore in said body.

3. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 1 wherein said bolt has a retaining member receiving portion at a predetermined position along its length and intermediate of its ends, and said securing means comprises a retaining member resiliently urged against the side of said bolt and yieldingly engageable with said retaining member receiving portion of said bolt when so aligned to thereby limit the relative longitudinal movement of said body with respect to said bolt.

4. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 3 wherein said retaining member is mounted within said body and resiliently urged against the side of said bolt by spring means, said retaining member also having a camming surface engageable by the side edges of said retaining member receiving portion of said bolt whereby said retaining member may be cammed into disengagement with said retaining member receiving portion of said bolt.

5. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 3 wherein said retaining member receiving portion of said bolt has a dimension longitudinal of said bolt which is greater than the corresponding dimension of said retaining member and there is provided means for resiliently urging said body longitudinally of said bolt into engagement with at least one heddle bar while said retaining member is in engagement with said retaining member receiving portion of said bolt.

6. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 1 wherein said bolt has a pin receiving portion at a predetermined position along its length and intermediate of its ends and said securing means comprises a pin carried within said body and extending laterally of said bore for engaging said pin receiving portion of said bolt.

7. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 6 wherein there are means for selectively maintaining said pin in engagement with said pin receiving portion of said bolt and out of engagement with said tion of said bolt.

8. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 1 wherein said bolt has a recessed portion at a predetermined position along its length and intermediate its ends, and said securing means comprises a rotatable retaining member extending laterally of said bore in a passageway in said body with one end of said passageway in communication with said bore, one end of said retaining member being provided with a recess whereby registration of said recess in said retaining member with said bolt permits relative longitudinal movement between said bolt and said body, and registration of said recessed portion of said bolt with said passageway and rotation of said retaining member into engagement with said recessed portion of said bolt prevents relative longitudinal movement between said bolt and said body.

9. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 1 wherein said bolt has a recessed portion at a predetermined position along its length and intermediate of its ends, and said securing means comprises an elongated retaining member in communication with and extending laterally of said bore in said body, said retaining member being slidable relative to said body and having a recessed portion along its length whereby registration of said recessed portion of said bolt with said non-recessed portion of said retaining member precludes relative longitudinal movement between said bolt and said body and whereby registration of said recessed portion of said retaining member with said bolt permits relative pin receiving porlongitudinal movement between said bolt and said body.

10. A heddle bar support and lock according to claim 9 wherein means are provided in said body to maintain said retaining member in some preselected registration.

11. A heddle bar support and lock including a generally T-shaped body, a bolt extending through said body for slidably supporting said body for longitudinal movement on said bolt, said bolt and said body having interrelating configurations precluding relative rotation of said bolt and body, and spring urged ball retaining means within said body engageable with said bolt. for yieldably retaining said body and bolt in predetermined longitudinal relation of said body on said bolt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,046,099 6/1936 Walker 139-92 2,046,100 6/1936 Walker 139-92 2,067,402 1/1937 Lausberg 13992 2,117,612 5/1938 Kaufmann 139-92 2,774,387 12/1956 Galaher et al 139-92 FOREIGN PATENTS 58,162 5/1953 France. 958,059 4/ 1958 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. J. KEE CHI, Examiner. 

1. A HEDDLE BAR SUPPORT AND LOCK INCLUDING A HEDDLE BAR SUPPORT BOLT AND A BODY, SAID BODY DEFINING A BORE FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING SAID BODY ON SAID BOLT AND HAVING MEANS TO ENGAGE AT LEAST ONE HEDDLE BAR, AND SECURING MEANS FOR LIMITING THE RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BOLT, SAID SECURING MEANS BEING CARRIED IN A BORE WITHIN SAID BODY AND BEING INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY. 